Sunset Marathon
by ayomide
Summary: ToT.  Jaded heroine and over-eager counterpart. Battle Start!  T for cynicism, innuendo and just-in-case.
1. Ready, Set, Go!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon, or any of it's characters (though if they're ever for sale can I buy Toby? kthx).**

_Luke._

_Sure, I met him when I first arrived on the island. He gave me his old axe as a 'welcome-to-the-island-now-get-to-work' gift. However, I never had the chance to get to know him even though I visited the carpenters shop he works in often enough. I was too busy making a fresh start, making sure everything was done right, hoping that the work I did this season would benefit myself and the rest of the island in the next. I had been on the island for over a year and love was the least of my priorities. _

_Looking back ..._

_I realize how much I feared to disappoint everyone._

_and by 'how much I feared to disappoint everyone' I mean 'how much of an idiot he was.'_

_

* * *

__Bang! Bang! Bang!_

The knocks at the door rattled through the small, single-room cabin. In my groggy, narcotic state I wondered if another typhoon was blowing through the island. If so the animals would be fine, I secure the barn and coop religiously. I learned that lesson from the last storm that blew through, but I should still probably check on them. Another ten minutes or so of sleep and then I'll go...

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Ok, five more minutes... I had stayed out far too late after the harvest festival the night before. Apparently the reward for winning a cook-off against the islands star chef was free cocktails at his bar as he attempted to figure out my 'secret.' 'I just got lucky' was not a sufficient strategy and led to even more drinks. This behavior was ultimately encouraged by the lead bartender (by allowing it) and his daughter (by insisting there really was a 'secret'). _I'll kill her when I wake up_. Five more minutes and I'd check out the storm...

_Bang! Bang!_

"Hey!"

"Akariiiiiii!"

I grumbled, finally realizing that this was merely a storm of human stupidity. My eyes opened and gradually adjusted to the dim morning light. I stared at the red clock hanging on the wall until it came into focus.. 6 am. I rubbed my eyes, hoping I misread it... nope, still 6 a.m. "Who in their right mind comes to visit post-festival at six in the morning?" I complained as I attempted to wriggle out of the sheet cocoon. The banging continued, escalating in frequency.

"Akari! Come on! Wake up!"

That voice was irritatingly familiar, but it definitely wasn't one of my closer companions.

I fetched a robe, shrugged it on and shuffled to the door, dreading the headache I knew was coming. Good thing the real prize for yesterdays contest was a ten-pack of herbal energy drinks. I groaned as I connected the two events. They're all in on it! I put the Mayor's name next on my mental hit-list. The barn better have collapsed or else this guy gets moved to the top.

"What!" I demanded as I yanked the door open. My reaction to this method of waking was cheerfully ignored.

"I brought honey!" the carpenters' apprentice announced, as if this was a perfectly reasonable explanation. I stared, dumbfounded. Luke, of all people, at my door at the crack of dawn with a self-satisfied grin and a crock of honey. It took a few moments for the shock of absurdity to wear off.

"What?"

"Honey! To go with breakfast!" He breezed by me, setting the little pot of honey on the counter of the kitchen island, before vigorously rummaging through my cabinets.

"You can make pancakes right? They're so AWESOME with honey!" Emphasizing the word 'awesome' with a shake of his fist.

I stared at him, mouth agape.

"Luke, what the heck are you doing here?" Technically a question, but to anyone with half a brain it was an obvious 'get out now' statement_._

"Bringing honey!" he said, his head popping up from behind the counter. His expression changed slightly, as if he just now noticed that I looked like a sleep-deprived, hungover wreck.

"You do like honey, right?" A pout spread over his lips as he stood up, a mixing bowl dangling from one hand and a spoon clenched in the other. His confusion and dismay over the possibilty of anyone not liking the honey he so thoughtfully bestowed made me feel like I had just kicked a puppy. His bottom lip quivered. _Make that a three-legged puppy_. His gazed moved slowly to the floor. _God! He's doing that on purpose!_ I rolled my eyes and shut the front door.

"Sure, it's great..."

"That's what I'm talking about!"

I grabbed the bowl and spoon and used them both to shove him out of the tiny kitchen before he broke something. While I attempted to prepare breakfast he went on to divulge his morning exploits which consisted of chopping trees, getting chased by bees, and wrestling over honeycomb. Each event was accompanied by a charade of fanatical motions which he performed with an incredible amount of enthusiasm. His energy made me neauseous.

"Don't you ever just wake up and think 'Man, I gotta chop something!'"

"can't say that I have..." I mumbled as I placed two plates of steaming, deformed pancakes, oozing with honey, on the table. They looked almost as bad as I did. Luke, still standing, dug into his portion with the unrequited fervor of starving man at a full-course buffet. Guess that meant they were edible.

"So what do you think of?" he asked with his mouth full, making it sound more like "Ooo, waduoothinoh"

I thought for a moment, stabbing the pile of fluffy flapjacks with my fork. This was not the sort of conversation I wanted to be having right now. _Just make something up, Akari..._

I shrugged. "Just what I want to accomplish that day"

"Hey!" he exclaimed "Like me, right? My axe n I gotta accomplish stuff, you know? Chop trees, build things! It's great to finally have a friend who gets it!"

I nearly choked. Friends? Since when were we friends? I was still trying to figure out why on earth he was sitting at my table eating the breakfast that he had guilted me into making.

His eyes brightened and he slammed his fist down on the table

"Friends, yeah? So come to me if you need anything, kay?" He reached over and patted my head, his face barely withholding a grin. I could smell the layer of sawdust that still lingered on his arm. "I'll see what I can do" he whispered mischeviously.

"Hope you enjoy the honey, those bees didn't give it up easily!" He ruffled my hair. I smacked his hand.

"Hey, I gotta run. Pops'll have my head if I don't show!"

He bounded out the door with a "See-ya!" slamming it behind him.

Silence...

My head throbbed...

I gazed blindly at the room, which now seemed significantly dull, and sighed.

"I'm going back to bed..."

****Thanks for reading. Please review, feedback helps when continuing ^_^)b**


	2. Pacesetter

**Disclaimer: I still do not own HM or any of its characters (including Toby :( -**he's my favorite!-** )**

* * *

"Chase?" Kathy's voice rang as she caught sight of me upon entering Sundae Inn. "Run!"

"Akari?" a tenor's voice drifted out from the kitchen.

"Mmm-hmm..."

"Well she deserved it!" Chase whined "My meunière was to die for!"

I pushed my way past Kathy into the narrow kitchen. Chase stood in front of the stove, stirring a wooden spoon vigorously. I inched closer, trying to catch a glimpse of what he was making. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He was stirring an empty pot. I had to admit, though, that he did an impressive job of making himself look incredibly busy. I grabbed the closest thing I could find (a leek) and swung it across the backside of his head.

"Owwww!" he hunched over and cradled his head with his hands.

"I almost did!" I said, and smacked him once more before gently replacing the leek.

"and I'm still mad at you" I said as I caught Hayden's eyes. He shrugged and raised his hands, his expression clearly saying that he had absolutely no idea what I could be referring to, but underneath the bushy beard I swore I saw a grin.

"geez, stop harassing my dad.." Kathy said as she grabbed my arm and drug me out of the kitchen.

"What about me!" Chase moaned incredulously as he followed us, still clutching his head.

"eh..."

"Anyways, we haven't heard from you in weeks!" she began, pulling out a chair for me. "we were starting to get worried!" She sat down opposite of me, drawing up a denim-clad knee to rest her arm on.

"New jeans?" I asked.

"You bet!" her eyes brightened, meaning that this was somehow related to horses. _Just wait for it._

"Candace made 'em, but they still gotta be broken in..." she stretched out a leg as if i would be able to tell that the fabric was too stiff to be at prime comfort. She nipped at the fabric with her fingers, observing the reaction of the material.

_wait for it..._

"I washed 'em plenty, she said that'd soften 'em up..."

_wait for it..._

"but it's sure takin' a while..."

_wait for it..._

"hopefully they won't chafe somethin' fierce when I go riding..."

_zing._

"horses or Owen.." I mumbled into the rice cocktail chase had brought me. I figured it was chase, though I can't recall when he would have had time to make it. He smirked... and I got a face full of napkin, courtesy of Kathy.

"hey! what the..!" I managed to avoid spilling the majority of the glass on myself. _oh well, it's still the cleanest thing I own right now._

She gave me a meaningful look and nodded towards her father, who was polishing a glass that already sparkled like crystal.

"oh, like he's listening!" I said quietly. She glared at me, which made me smile...

"Can't hear a thing!" Hayden called out from behind the bar, which made me snort my drink. I could hear Chase trying to stifle his laughter as I coughed, expelling the liquid from my lungs.

"God, Akari, don't breath it..." Kathy said, looking at me as if i was sprouting horns... or mushrooms... or something, maybe even both.

"Thanks _cough_ for _cough-cough_ the concern_ cough-hack-cough _you jerks _cough_."

"Not my fault this time.." Chase said into his sleeve. My eyes widened and I stared pointedly at him, then the drink (which i had set down), and then back at him. "Oh, come on!" he flailed his arms and stalked back to the kitchen, probably to plan my ultimate demise.

The coughing subsided and I shrugged, finally remembering what it was like to breath. It was pretty nice.

"Aaaaanyways!" Kathy said, getting back to the initial topic "where the heck have you been? It's been weeks!"

"_A_ week." I pointed out and she glared at me again. I really don't understand how the horses can stand her sometimes. Maybe she treats them better than her friends.

"Working, " I said "in fact, I only stopped in because I'm on my way back from Souffle. Remember that perfume I made last winter?" She nodded, it had been a hit.

"I had to pick up some more of the seeds, Juli sent me another order today" Okay, so it had only been a hit with Julius.

"a bulk order." A really _big_ hit. She groaned and shook her head.

"Do me a favor and warn me when you're finished, mkay?"

"yeah" I pondered this "I wonder if I should post a notice about it..."

"Might not be a bad idea but maybe you better... Oh yeah! Luke!"

"What?" Great, the guy isn't even here and he still manages to annoy me. She raised an eyebrow at my reaction, and I could see her brain calculating it.

"What, you really _do_ like him'?"

"ugggh. No, please continue.."

"Well, he swung by the other day, fix'n the cabinet Maya broke" Sneer (Kathy was the only person who called the girl by her given name, everyone else called her Mai. Personally, I was eagerly anticipating the day Kathy cracked and beat her up. I prayed to the goddess that I would be around to see it) "and was askin' after ya."

"Why?"

"Beats me. He kept sayin' how much you liked honey and was buggin' dad to make some mead. Came back later with a pot o' honey even tho' dad never said he'd do it."

"uggggh..."

"don't worry none, we didn' tell Chase. Figured he didn't need any more ammo." I thought about how she phrased this..

"Wait, what's he got on me?" I cried, more concerned about what Chase would do with my secrets than the logic of a crazy amber-eyed boy.

"Nothin' yet, that I know of at least... but you might wanna knock some sense into Luke before it gets all over town"

"Before what gets all over town?" I asked, not liking where this was heading.

"Well... he made some comments here 'n there, bugged the crap outa dad.."

"... get to the point"

"it seems he's got it in his head that you're his beau"

"WHAT?"

"you know, girlfriend"

"Not that part!"

"oh"

I slammed my head against the table.

"I figured as much" she said "for one I think you'd at least have talked about him. Girls talk about that kinda stuff, right?"

"oothotathabouwen" I said into the table.

"er, mind repeatin' that?"

"You don't talk about Owen." I said, lifting my head up, and was promptly awarded with another napkin in my face.

"because i don't like him!" she yelled, though I could tell she was blushing. "Goddess! I don't know why I'm trying to help you! You're horrible!" I nodded in agreement. That was one of the things I loved about Kathy: her temper.

"Ack! Well don't come cryin' to me when Chase finds out!" she blurted. Considering the volume of her voice and the current location of where I believed Chase to be it was safe to assume that he had found out. I'd deal with that later.

"noted."

"Argh!" She growled as she got up and stomped back towards the bar. I waited a few moments, listening to muffled conversation between her and Chase (It probably went something like this: Kathy: I hate her, Chase: Me too!, Both: She sucks! ). A little longer and her head popped out from behind the kitchen.

"And I won't be here if you stop by tomorrow. I'm going riding"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Don't say it!"

* * *

**Thanks for reading Chapter 2! ^_^)b Please review if you have the chance ^_^!**


	3. Starting Block

**Disclaimer: I do not own HM or their characters.**

Note: Short chapter, I wanted to explore the characters a bit. I promise that the next one will continue with the storyline. Really... it will...

* * *

For the record I really do like Kathy. Around customers she's the sweetest soul I have ever met. She always has a smile and a kind word for everyone in town (except Maya, who still has yet to notice this). However the more time I spent with her the more I discovered the person behind the smile. The one who could curse like a sailor, when she was in a good mood, and grind your face in the cow-patties, when she wasn't. We make an odd pair, the raging demon and I, but it's comfortable. I catch glimpses of her true self and she of mine. That's what friendship is supposed to be like, right? I could deal without the bruises though, even if they are justified. I'm rooting for Owen. He's probably the only person on the island that could survive a life with her... and they both like horses. Enough said.

Chase? He's a snarky bastard who I put up with on occasion. There's a caring heart somewhere underneath the sarcasm, but I still have yet to see it directed towards me. He's similar to myself in a way, which is probably how I know that, if asked, he would confirm our friendship. It's a mutual understanding. Neither of us like our hearts out in the open, for we feel vulnerable that way, weak. With him 'I hate you, go jump off a cliff' is translated to 'I really respect and cherish you, I hope to see you tomorrow". I also cherish the fact that being friends with him equals free food (at least when he's experimenting with new recipes). Too bad he has questionable taste in women.

This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning the harvest sprites. I'm convinced that they're simply figments of my own repressed imagination and proof that I really need to pay a few extra visits to Dr. Jin. For weeks after one of these 'episodes' I find myself humming sing-songy tunes about red wool yarn and purpley blue wood fish. Clearly not normal behavior. I do what they ask though, you know, just in case. Uh, I mean praise the harvest goddess, amen.

That's about it for the people that don't see the fake smile I wear on a regular basis. Sure they like me just fine, but I think it's more that they like what they see, not who I am. The more time that goes by the more I adorn the face they expect to see. It's easy this way. They see a relatively boring, hard-working girl with a smile on her face and they like her. In return I like them for respecting the fact that I do not want to have a conversation that goes any deeper than 'spring is great; there's a typhoon coming tomorrow; the best fishing spots are on...' et cetera, et cetera.

And then there's Luke...

...?

...?

...?

yeah... that pretty much sums up what comes to mind when thinking about _him_.

* * *

****Thanks for putting up with this chapter! ^_^)b **


	4. Boxed In

**Disclaimer: I don't own HM or their characters :)**

Note: I just like writing about them :3

* * *

Winter had blown in full force this year. Icy gales turned the fruitful, plush landscape into a barren, snow-filled wonderland. Even the waves of the gulf sea sparkled like diamonds underneath the gaze of the muted sun. It was truly a beautiful season on the pristine island. I would have adored it if I could have hibernated inside my house, buried under a mountain of blankets with the wooden stove blazing. Alas, I was not so lucky.

I had told myself that I would set things straight with him the next day. However, before I knew it three days had passed bringing around the 8th of Winter. It wasn't that I was incredibly busy, winter was actually a pretty slow time for me, even when considering the flowers that flourished in the chilly atmosphere. I just never found the opportune moment to make the hike all they way up to the carpenter's shop. I hated that hike. Even with the shortcut that Luke had cleared earlier in the year it was a trip I tried to avoid. I'd make my rounds once or twice a season though, so I ended up there on occasion. Usually I'd fill a bag with vegetables leftover from the harvest, the ones not good enough to ship, and offer them to the folk that had been unusually kind to me when I was starting out. Of course, the primary person on that list (after the mayor, I suppose, after all he did arrange everything) was Dale. I feel like I owe him much more than vegetables for the initial house that he had built, but he says that the new business I bring in is payment enough. I guess that makes me an investment.

After the last encounter with his son I had decided to postpone my end-of-the-season rounds. I had pickled and jammed the last bit of the harvest to ship out, but still had a few things left that I myself wouldn't consume. I really hated seeing things go to waste, so with a 'harumph' I packed a canvas sack with the vegetables that I had preserved by keeping outside and set off, bracing myself for a long haul in freezing weather. This was a good plan. I could get rid of the crops and clear things up with Luke, if he happened to be there.

I really hated that hike. Uphill. In the snow. Both ways.

The bell over the door to Dale's Carpentry chimed as I rushed in the door, slamming it behind me before the wind had a chance to follow me in. I looked around the strangely hazy shop, inhaling the warmth along with a good portion of sawdust. Dale wasn't at his typical spot behind the counter, but i doubt he'd stray for long. Setting my bag down I entered further, following the cloud of dust that drifted out of the next room. I leaned against the frame that divided the room and peered in.

Luke.

I should have known. His back was towards me, hovering over whatever it was that was creating the haze of wood particles. The red t-shirt that stretched across his back had transitioned to rust, and the blue sheen of his hair dulled to a dark gray. His track jacket had been strewn haphazardly across the corner of the table, the neon green sleeves peeping out beneath hills of debri. It looked as if he had been there for hours, but I couldn't imagine him sitting still for that amount of time. I wondered briefly where his bandana was, but from what I could see the unbound, jagged locks suited him.

"Akari?" Dale called from the shop door, stomping his boots to free them from the snow before stepping inside. Bo tracked in behind him, mimicking his actions.

"Eh? Ah, Hey Dale, I just stopped by to..." _THUD!_ All three of us froze.

"Arrrrrgh...!" Luke's voice growled, followed by lesser thuds, a crash, a drawer slamming, a wooshing noise, and a 'dude stop! just go!' from Bo, the only one to have gone to check and see what happened. Dale just grumbled and took up his usual spot at the counter, flipping through the pages of a now dusty account book. He sneezed.

"Didn't think you'd need an entire tree for that, boy!" he called over his shoulder.

"Pops!" Luke chided as he flew across the main room, stopped suddenly and... posed? His arm was propped up against the wall, supporting his weight, with the opposite hand on his hip. One leg crossed over the other in a rediculous contrapposto. It might have been attractive had he not been coated in sawdust, wearing his jacket inside out with his bandana tied around his head like a milkmaids'.

"Yo." He said, nonchalantly, but I wasn't buying it. The 'hey, thanks for coming, I was expecting you' smile was a nice touch though.

"yeah.." I murmured as I turned around to pick up the bag I had brought for Dale.

"Whoa!" Luke cried out behind me. _goddess, what now? _"How'd you know!" he grabbed the canvas bag from me and plopped it on the counter, golden eyes gleaming with excitement as he pulled out a head of spinach. "These are my favorite!" he exclaimed, his smile widening.

"They for me?"

I should have said no. I should have told him that i was just trying to show my appreciation to his father. I should have told him the truth. Should have, should have, should have, but I didn't. I had never met anyone who could get that excited over a vegetable before. So I shrugged helplessly, glancing at Dale, who shrugged back. Luke perceived this as confirmation that it was indeed a gift for him. _Strike one..._

"You rock, Akari!" he shouted, hoarding the rest of the spinach heads in his arms. "Arrrgh! This is so awesome!"

I sneezed. This was not going well, so i did the only thing I could think of: changed the subject.

"I'll stop by later to talk about the additions to the coop, Dale." I said, trying my best to ignore the leaves of spinach that were dancing in the air. "Would it be okay if you got started early next week?"

"Hmm" he opened the log and browsed down a list that he had made. "Should be fine, just let me know when you're ready"

"Hey! I get to work on your place next week? Awesome!" Luke chimed in, dropping the spinach. Mostly on the floor, though I'm certain that he was aiming for counter. _Strike two... _I needed to leave before I got myself into any more trouble.

"Great. I'll see you later then" I said towards Dale, I hoped the smile I was wearing hid how awkward I was feeling. I waved goodbye and let myself out, reluctant to deal with the weather but eager to be anywhere else. I groaned. That had not gone well at all. I was half-way to the blacksmith's shop when I heard a "Hey! Wait!" behind me. I paused and turned.

"Hey, you got plans for tomorrow?" Luke asked as he jogged up behind me.

"I'm working." I stated as I resumed my pace.

"Tuesday?"

"Working."

"Next week?"

"Working."

"Aww, come on! Just meet me for lunch!"

"no."

"Dinner?..."

"no."

His persistence continued until we were well past the entrance to Brownie Ranch. I had planned on meeting up with Kathy before heading home, but if he kept following me I'd have to skip it. Being caught on an afternoon stroll with Luke was the last thing I wanted and I probably would have agreed to most anything to avoid it.

"FINE!" _Strike three..._

"... really?"

"Arrrgh! Just... fine, okay! Now go away!" I kept walking.

"Yeaaaaah! How bout next week when I'm at your place?"

"Arrrgh!"

"Awesome! Man, I'm so stoked! Well, see ya later!"

_Finally._ I glanced over my shoulder to make sure he was really leaving. I saw him sprint down the lane at full speed, jumping once with his fist in the air before disappearing behind the boulder that marked the seperation of the districts.

"Great..." I grumbled turning back, tripping over Kathy. Now I was really cold. The road may have been cleared of all the snow, but it was still freezing.

"Just great..."

"What in the blazes was that about?" she asked, not bothering to offer her assistance just yet.

"I.. don't... know!" I whined at her polished cowboy boots.

"Sounds to me like..." she said, finally reaching out a hand to help me back up. "you..." she snickered "have a..." she snickered again "date?"

I glared at her.

"With Luke?"

I punched her arm.

"Okay, okay, just spill!" She led me over to the fences where she immediately hoisted herself up, notching a boot around the post.

So I explained piece by piece, still unable to comprehend how this all fit together in a sensible fashion, I leaned back against the fence, scratching my head.

"I think y'all are both idiots" she finally said, which didn't really help my predicament.

"You have any advice I could actually use?" I complained, which was probably a bad idea. She was at the perfect height to punch me in the skull. Which she did.

"Ow!" I screamed jumping away from the fence and rubbing my head... "Geez Kathy! What the heck!"

"Maybe you should give 'im a chance..." she mused quitely, unperturbed by the looks I was giving her.

"Are you serious?"

"Why not?" she shrugged "He's off his rocker and you're an idiot. Picture perfect"

"Ugh... why do I like you?"

"Beats me, but you better figure somethin' out." she jumped off the fence. "but hey, my shift starts soon, so I gotta get goin'. You headin' that way?"

"Yeah.." I said, and we left. The walk home was silent, except when Kathy got to the Inn. She invited me in, but I declined, not really in the mood to deal with Chase. I already had enough to brood over and I didn't want to risk adding anything.

I always thought the atmosphere in winter was a little eerie, especially at night. But for once I was really thankful for it. The silence was calming, the only sound coming from my boots against the dirt-packed earth. It made me feel like i was the only person in the world. It was refreshing, even if it was a little bit lonely and I didn't mind being alone.

Well, most of the time anyways...

* * *

Thanks for reading :D RnR please! (^_^)b


	5. Blind Pass

Later that evening as I layed in bed, I considered those three strikes that would surely haunt me through the coming weeks. I had unwittingly bestowed a gift that truly made him estatic (though to this day his excitement regarding spinach baffles me). I had employeed him, giving him a job that would take the better part of a week spent on my property, and although it was his father's skill and expertise I had purchased I understood that it would be an undertaking that would require more manpower than Dale alone could provide. The last strike was the most foolish I think, for I had accepted Luke's insistent invitation out of exasperation. I could always cancel it, I thought, but my nagging conscience warned me that my guilt over breaking even such a small commitment would be worse than the hour or two spent chatting over coffee or tea.

Besides, if nothing else is said of me at least I am known for keeping my word.

I wondered briefly at his sudden interest, for he had barely made more than small talk with me before the harvest festival. He had always seemed a bit eccentric from my vantage point, but those oddities were never directed towards me. Even so, he was excessively optimistic and was rarely seen without a smile on his face. If others grumbled about his easily exitable nature or made him the brunt of their jokes it was ways good natured, with not even the faintest trace of animosity. I may have not been friends with Luke, but in a town this size it's impossible not to know that he was well loved.

And now the entire town would know of his newest endeavor: me.

I groaned and rolled over, stuffing my face into my pillow and willing myself to fall asleep. After another hour or so of dwelling on the day's events I finally did.

The next day passed in blissful silence, the piling snow keeping me either huddled indoors or out in the barn which was just as warm. I explained what had befallen me to the sleepy eyed calf who seemed more interested in the fragrant hay than my dilemma. Still, she was good company and I threw an extra bundle of fodder in the trough as thanks.

The quiet and relaxing season i had hoped for ended with the snowfall, for the morning brought blinding sunshine over the mirror of freshly fallen snow, and a gift wrapped package sitting neatly on the newly swept doorstep. I eyed it warily, and nudged it with a bare toe. Well, at least it didn't bite me. I scooped up the little box, shivering as a cold breath of wind flew inside before I could close the door. There was no tag, but I would have wagered quite a bit that I knew who it was from. I hazily recalled some sort of lovers event in the winter and checked my calendar to confirm my suspicions. Ah, the Thanksgiving Festival. It was customary here to bestow gifts of cakes, chocolates or sweets upon your beloved during this festival but I had never actively participated in it. Nor had I ever received a gift from those who did. It warmed my heart a little bit, despite my insistence that I could really care less about such things. I grabbed a fork from the kitchen niche and untied the purple ribbon, eager to have my breakfast consist of nothing but cake. Inside was a miniature version of a spinach cake, a tart sized cake with decorative green piping lining the edges. I couldn't say it was my favorite, but as it looked very pretty I decided it should probably taste the same. At least so I thought until I tried to pry off a piece with my fork and found it hard as a rock. I set down the fork with a pout and tested the cake with my fingers. To my disbelief I found that it had been intricately carved of wood and painted to look incredibly realistic. I lifted the carving out of the opened box to examine it closer. There was a note underneath which I opened with haste, deciphering the scrawling handwriting as best I could.

This is what I think it said:

_Akari,_

_Don't eat this, it's made of wood._

_(a word here was scribbled out, but I'm thinking it was 'Love')_

_Sincerely,_

_Luke_

I stared at both the note and the cake and found myself grinning at them. So that's what he must have been working on over the weekend when I went to visit Dale. I wondered how long it had taken him to complete it, and if he had painted it himself or requested help. For some reason I had some difficulty imagining Luke with a paintbrush in his hand. Then again, I had difficulty imagining him carving something so delicate when the only tool I've seen him use was his axe. I decided the best place for the little cakelet was on my nightstand next to my diary, the note tucked underneath it as it had been in the box. Not that I was likely to forget that the dessert wasn't edible but still, it didn't seem right to throw the note away.

I left the house to begin the morning's chores, which today unfortunately included a fair amount of shoveling snow. The tasks themselves were repetitive enough to leave my mind free, so I went about figuring out how to thank him for the gift while simultaenously discourgaging his attention. By the afternoon I had nothing to show for it, my mind blanking every single time as soon as I imagined myself saying 'Thank you' to him.

I did the next best thing, being completely oblivious on how to handle this situation myself. I went to Kathy. Or at least tried to. By the time I had freshened up enough to be presentable and made it to the Sundae Inn Kathy was already engaged in conversation with Owen. I winked at her as I passed by their table on my way to the bar, not wanting to interrupt. I swear I saw her stick her tongue out at me when Owen was distracted by a coin he discovered under the table. Then again it could have been just disc of metal, which probably held the same value for him. Selena had a few costumes that such 'coins' would have adorned, but I digress.

I set my rucksack down on the stool beside me and I ordered a cocktail from Hayden and paid for it (I don't _always_ take advantage of the fact that I'm friends with his daughter and his cook), figuring I'd wait around until either of them deigned to notice me. I didn't have to wait long. Chase ran out of the kitchen, Mai hot on his trail brandishing a plate of cake and a fork with what looked like icing dribbling off the prongs.

"Just try it" Mai wailed, her pigtails bouncing as she chased him around one of the empty tables weilding her fork. She made a very comical villain, though I will say Chase's fear of her cooking was justified. I noticed with amusement that Kathy was forcing herself to ignore the charade, continuing her conversation with Owen as if there wasn't a half-mad girl at the table next to them.

This went on for a good ten seconds before Chase finally got fed up and slammed both his hands down.

"Maya, stop. We both know that... that thing is going nowhere near my mouth!" He glowered at her from the safety of the opposite side of the table. She pouted a bit, but lowered the fork slightly. "I do have standards... " he concluded, his posture straightening as he brushed flecks of icing from his shirt. Maya dropped the plate haphazardly on the table as if he had insulted more than just her cooking. A moment's hesitation before tears filled her eyes and she fled upstairs, slamming her bedroom door so hard it rattled the entire establishment. While it was an interesting spectacle I was more curious about the cake, which started oozing off the plate in globs of pink. I didn't want to know what it was supposed to be. Chase sighed, running a hand through his shaggy copper hair, meticulously groomed to look as if it hadn't been groomed at all. I caught his eye and quirked a brow, shrugging at the exchange. Hayden gave a sympathetic smile and poured another cocktail. He may have been a man of few words but he was astute and knew Chase's moods just as well as I.

"What'd you do this time?" I asked "Besides the cake, of course"

He shook his head as he knocked my rucksack off the barstool to make room for himself. I grumbled and picked it up, placing it on the empty stool that was on the other side of me.

"I hate this festival... sometimes.. " he said quietly.

"Cheer up!" I said, patting him on the back "at least you didn't eat that" and nodded towards the table where the cake still proceeded to ooze. He followed my gaze and snorted a bit, for that dessert really did seem to have a mind of it's own as it crawled across the surface of the table.

The evening was waning and most of the customers had come and gone, save for Kathy who always stayed to the bitter end of the evening, even when she was working. Most of the night had been spent making wagers on which part of the cake would fall off the table first. It started with Chase and I, but our conversation was overheard and Kathy and Owen made bets of their own. Eventually even Colleen came out and wagered a slice of apple pie that the glob that looked like it had once been a strawberry would be the first to go. It was. Had Mai not been as overly dramatic as she was I might have felt guilty, but we all knew that in the morning she would forget about the whole thing and harrass Chase like usual. All in all it was a good evening, except that I had completely forgotten about my reason for coming here in the first place. I had brought the little wooden cake with me, safe in it's box in my rucksack, but I never found the right opportunity to show it to my closest confidentes, nor did I find the opportunity to get their advice on what to do with it.

Maybe tomorrow I'd ask...

* * *

**It's been a while but I really wanted to continue this story! I hope you like it ^_^**


End file.
